How Seakeeper Gyros Are Revolutionizing Boating Stability

I experienced Seakeeper for the first time, well before I came onboard at Sportsman Boats, on a 35-foot center console while filming a TV show called The Fish Guyz on Discovery Channel. Before this, I had never spent much time offshore and had very little seaworthy experience. I joined the show because a friend and mentor who was producing it needed a hand for the season, and I was available. The first few days of the trip, I was on an old diesel boat with no Seakeeper in some rougher conditions. Surprisingly, for my first times heading offshore, I did pretty well. A few days later, I found myself on the main boat—not the camera boat—and got to experience this brand-new 35-foot boat equipped with a Seakeeper. Wow, how the tides had turned. It was a night and day difference. When I returned to the old diesel boat to shoot more boat-to-boat content, I realized just how much I missed the Seakeeper system.

Today, seven years into my career of filming offshore content, I rarely film from a boat without Seakeeper. It makes no sense to not have it onboard. It doesn’t just make everyone more comfortable—it completely transforms how stable everything feels. For video production, it’s the most valuable investment we can make when filming on the water. Thankfully, the rest of the Sportsman team agrees, and all of our demo and prototype boats come equipped with Seakeeper. Seakeeper’s motto, “Once you boat with it, you won’t boat without it,” couldn’t be more accurate. In my opinion of all the options you can put on your boat, Seakeeper is, without question, the best and most valuable.

Seakeeper was founded in 2003 by Shep McKenney and John Adams with a mission to transform the boating experience. Their vision was clear: to eliminate boat roll and provide a smoother, safer experience for boaters. The first prototype was introduced in 2006, and since then, Seakeeper has expanded its product line to accommodate a range of vessels, from small recreational boats to large commercial ships. Through constant innovation, they’ve become the global leader in boat motion control technology, setting the standard for stabilization systems worldwide.

At its core, a Seakeeper is a gyroscopic stabilizer designed to eliminate up to 95% of boat roll. It houses a steel flywheel spinning at speeds up to 9,750 RPM within a vacuum-sealed sphere. As the boat begins to roll, the gyroscope tilts fore and aft—a motion known as precession—producing a powerful torque that counteracts the roll. This process keeps the vessel remarkably steady, even in choppy seas.

On Sportsman Boats, Seakeeper is available as an option on Open Series models from 26 feet and up. The Open 262 and Open 282 feature the Seakeeper 1, while the Open 302 and Open 322 include the Seakeeper 2. The flagship Open 352 is equipped with the Seakeeper 3. Every Sportsman Boat that offers a Seakeeper gyro has a specifically designed area to house the system. These compartments are placed along the centerline for optimal weight distribution and easy maintenance. If a replacement is ever needed, the system can be easily lifted out and replaced. Sportsman also reinforces these areas with extra structural support, securing the Seakeeper unit to the boat’s stringer system for maximum stability and safety.

The impact of Seakeeper on boating is undeniable. It’s becoming a feature many boaters refuse to live without. On average, 30.26% of Sportsman Open Series buyers opt to include a Seakeeper gyro on their boats, with that number jumping to a remarkable 51% for models 32 feet and up. These percentages grow every year as more boaters experience the difference, and as the technology continues to develop, these numbers are expected to climb even higher.

Seakeeper has transformed the boating experience by addressing one of the most significant challenges at sea: boat roll. From my first encounter with Seakeeper to its integration into Sportsman Boats, I’ve seen firsthand how this technology makes boating more comfortable, enjoyable, and accessible for everyone. Whether you’re cruising, fishing, or filming, Seakeeper is the game-changing addition you didn’t know you needed—but won’t ever want to boat without.